8 Must-See Movies For Horse Lovers

I love horses. Actually, I’m in awe of horses. They are amazing animals, so powerful and graceful. I think most of us feel that way. Maybe that’s why horses are at the center of so many great movies. Horse Network just put out a list of 50 equine-centric movies. Here are 8 of my favorites.

War Horse. Based on a mega-hit play, this is the story of the bond between a horse and a farm boy, both of whom are sent off to fight in World War One.

Seabiscuit. This uplifting movie is based on the Depression-era real-life story of an undersized race horse and a vision-impaired jockey who beat the odds to win the Triple Crown.

The Man from Snowy River. This might be my favorite horse movie. A teenage boy takes on the challenge of saving the family farm after his dad dies.

The Black Stallion. A shipwrecked boy bonds with a mysterious horse. They are rescued and end up racing against the fastest horses in the world.

The Horse Whisperer. Robert Redford plays a unique horse trainer who helps a young girl recover her courage and life after she suffers a horrible riding accident. Bonus: The girl is played by a young Scarlett Johansson.

Black Beauty. A family favorite based on an 1870’s novel. Beauty, a stallion, narrates the story of his life as part of a Downton Abbey-type family in the English countryside.

All the Pretty Horses. Matt Damon plays a young Texas rancher on a journey to Mexico where he becomes a cowboy on a ranch owned by the father of a beautiful woman. Romance ensues.

Barbaro. This HBO documentary isn’t on the Horse Network list. But it should be. Barbaro was considered one of the greatest thoroughbreds ever after winning the 2006 Kentucky Derby. But tragedy struck two weeks later at The Preakness when Barbaro suffered a devastating leg injury and eventually had to be euthanized.